


Tony's Girl

by jackofallclubs



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Civil War Fix-It, Eventual Relationships, FRIDAY as human, Gen, James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark Friendship, M/M, Natasha Romanov & Tony Stark Friendship, Not Beta Read, Tony Stark & Friday - Freeform, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony Stark-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-01
Updated: 2017-04-02
Packaged: 2018-10-13 11:03:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 18,699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10512456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jackofallclubs/pseuds/jackofallclubs
Summary: Friday gains a human body and uses it to help Tony deal with the aftermath of the Civil War and losing his friends. And maybe... just maybe she can help him gain some of them back.





	1. F.R.I.D.A.Y.

**Author's Note:**

> Please note that the relationship aspect is literally the last part of the last chapter. This is not meant as a romantic story, it is meant as a civil war fix-it with a focus on TONY BEING RIGHT, with the relationship bit thrown in there only because I love them.

“Boss?” The voice was so tentative that the accent was almost completely gone, even as the woman standing before Tony looked down at herself. “What is happening?”

“Not again.” Tony muttered under his breath, but then she looked up at him with bright, unnaturally purple eyes and he saw the fear. “Shit!” He jumped up and… forget Ultron, Vision, the Mind Stone. This was his girl. When he reached her he stopped, a hand reaching out and…

She stumbled forward on legs she had never used, a cold hand latching onto him and Tony reacted on instinct. He stepped closer, gathered her up, and felt her weight against his arms and chest. Her feet tangled so he wrapped an arm around her naked waist, holding her up until she could gather them under herself again. 

“What’s happenin’?” At least her accent was resurfacing over the fear. “My… my processor…”

“…brain…” he supplied even as she continued to speak.

“…is accessing too much stimuli.” She was still staring with wide eyes, her gaze locked somewhere around his chest where one of her arms was curled, probably uncomfortably.

“Here, let’s sit you down.”

“I…” she stuttered but then her head jerked in weird approximation of a nod. 

Tony considered his usual chair, but it had no back and she probably needed all the support she could get. He turned to the sofa in the corner of his workshop and practically dragged the woman over. When they were both sitting down, Tony deemed it safe to release her. She leaned towards his body automatically, so he kept the hand around her waist. 

“It… I feel something.” She was looking down at her hands again. Her fingers were relaxed but constantly twitching, as if typing on a moving keyboard. Her chin was jerking in random directions from time to time, and the closer Tony looked, he noticed her entire body shivering. 

“I am not sure if it’s the air in general you’re feeling or…” he started speaking even as he reached over her shoulders to collect the blank laid on the back of the sofa. 

“Boss?” The question was as tentative as the first time she asked it and when he looked down, she was finally looking at him. 

“Relax.” He unfolded the blanked and draped it over her shoulders, pulling her closer so she was practically sitting in his lap. “We’ll figure this out.”

“It… I don’t like it.”

“Don’t like what, girl?”

“The temperature. It is so much.”

“Too warm?”

“I register 75 degrees fahrenheit in the room.”

“Well, you are hot.” He tried for a grin, joking with her even as he tried to process what was happening. 

The look she gave him was an exact replica of Pepper, when she was exasperated with him but still not tired of his bullshit. It must have been recorded somewhere in her data-banks. After a moment the shivering started subsiding and he felt the heat radiate off her body. There was no mind stone, no Ultron, no cradle to create her body. One second they were working together on that book asshole-Strange dropped off and then–

“Boss?” She questioned, and it sounded like she had repeated the word a few times. Tony zoned back in and felt a tentative touch against his chest. The scars from the operation were completely numb but the skin around them was extremely sensitive. He reached up to grab her fingers. They still felt cold compared to his own skin. 

“What is it Fri?”

“I feel something?”

“Wanna try to describe it?” He leaned back a little, pulling her slight frame with him as he settled more comfortably into the sofa. He needs to call that Strange asap and get this fixed. What if she was feeling pain?

“According to my data, the symptoms I am registering in my own hardware…”

“…body…” her voice was trembling and her body soon followed, fingers twitching irritably in his and fear tainting her voice. 

“…are consistent with those you–you st-started ex-expe-experiencing a-a-a-after the b-b-bat-attle of New–New York.” She could barely finish the sentence with her stuttering, her body automatically curving further up, knees hitting his elbow as she tried to make herself as small as possible. 

Fuck. She was having a panic attack! Tony let go of her arms and she clutched tight, short nails digging into the sensitive skin around his scars. He wrapped his arms around her and heaved, her entire body moving until she was curled sideways into his lap, her weight settling on the cushions between his spread legs. 

“Shh…” he wrapped her tight and tucked her head under his chin. Her hair was pink, he just noticed, a stylish cut to it leaving it shorter on one side and trailing almost to her naked breasts on the other. “I’m here, Fri.” He started shushing, trying to remember everything he read, but never did, to stave off a panic attack. Her shaking intensified and it seemed like she was having problems breathing. 

“My–my– I c-can’t get… elec-elec-p-power is not… running-reaching…” she gasped out and he easily translated that the electric sparks she was so used to running her server were now air needed for her new lungs to function. Her head started jerking more, a strange movement that seemed more robotic than human… and considering who exactly he was holding in his arms, it made sense. 

Hold your breath. He remembered scoffing when he read that. The last thing you wanted to do when you felt like you couldn’t breathe was to try and actively not breathe. But he tilted her chin up, looking into those eyes that made him think of the amethyst earrings Maria used to love wearing, and felt his own eyes well up in sympathetic tears. She started crying, doing nothing to hide it and her breath was hitching more. Tony reacted quickly, leaning down to lock his lips over the plush pair that never should have existed as a physical thing. 

She stopped, her breath gone completely, her body stilling as if frozen, except for her head, which Tony held with a firm grip on her chin. After a few moments, the jerks of her chin stopped too and he let go. When he pulled back and opened his eyes –when had he closed them?– her lips were still parted and her own eyes closed. 

“How’s it now?”

“All functions running at normal parameters.” She replied and he recognized the cocky tilt of her voice when she was teasing him. The curl at one corner of her lips only solidified her words. She was fine.

“Good.”

“What was that?”

“Come now, Fri. You’ve seen more than your fair share both on the net and here in the workshop.” He grinned teasingly and she finally opened her eyes. “All functions running properly?”

“Yes, boss.” She sounded normal and Tony pulled back a little to assess her. She seemed fine. 

“Wanna call the Asshole?” He didn’t want to say it, maybe she needed to experience this a little longer, whatever this was. But Vision was floating at the edges of his mind again and that made him think of Ultron and at the end of the day Friday was his creation. 

“Sure, boss.” She smiled tentatively and there was no hurt on her face at all. “As pleasurable as that was, and I do admit it was a nice experience, I prefer to return to where I am meant to be.”

“You know you don’t have to, right? Just… we should let him know what is happening but you can stay like this a while longer.”

“Sure, boss.” She smiled again and snuggled closer into his chest. When Tony looked down his noticed her eyes darkening, a dark film falling over the beautiful purple. “Calling Dr. Strange, now.”

“Do a video call, Fri.” Tony grinned, turning her slightly so her shoulder and back were into his chest, facing the computers where he was sitting when all of this started. 

“Tony?” although the voice was obviously male and belonging to the asshole-supreme himself, Tony watched in fascination as Friday’s plush lips moved to form the words. “Are you already done– what!? What are you–” 

“Ah.” Tony finally looked up at the screen. After noticing the camera in the bottom corner he realized that Friday’s naked body was almost completely on display to the asshole-pervert. “We have a problem.”

“What pro… wait… why is she…?”

“Strange, meet Friday.” He gestured towards her even as he pulled the blanket from her shoulder to try and give her some modesty. “You are currently talking through her, and though it is kind of creepy… that is not my main concern here.”

“The book, I take it.”

“I don’t know what else it could be.”

The asshole huffed as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders. “I’ll do some research into it, but I won’t be able to make it to New York for at least another week.”

Tony thought about it. Could he hide Friday from the Avengers for a week? Rhodey and Vision? No way. Maybe Vision could actually help. Good thing Captain-I’m-Always-Right wasn’t fighting his way back to the US yet. “Done.”

“And… Friday?” Asshole-supreme seemed tentative. “I do apologize for any inconvenience, but I do have to admire your creator’s imagination.”

“Thank you Dr. Strange.”

“See you soon, Dr. Asshole.” Tony waved, a reflex reaction to Friday to turn the call off. For a moment, he wasn’t sure if it would be accepted, but the video screen disappeared and then those amethyst eyes were looking back up at him.

“Alright,” he smiled down at her. “We have a week to figure this humanity crap out. Fair warning, it sucks.” 

“Yes, boss.”

“That’s my girl.” Tony smiled and tucked her head under his chin again, placing a kiss on the surprisingly soft hair under his nose.


	2. Vision & Rhodey

The way Tony designed his workshop at the Avengers compound did not really provide him with much privacy. His workshop was on the east side, furthest from the living quarters. The space was originally a hanger style warehouse, used by the … other Avengers … to train the new recruits after the whole fiasco with Ultron. After the whole fiasco with the Winter Soldier –that is a lot of fiascos happening over the past few years– Tony claimed it as his own. 

Vision did not need it to train, the Spider Kid was out in Queens only dropping in every now and then, Natasha was with the traitors, sorry, Freedom-Lovers, T’Challa had a country to run and fugitives to hide (as if Tony didn’t know where they were!), and Rhodey. Rhodey needed some space for his PT but there was more than enough room for him at the workshop near the large windows. Asshole-supreme also dropped by every now and then, but that has only been three times in the three months since Tony and Stephen (Dr. Asshole) had a massive argument upon meeting. 

Considering that the new Avengers team (the legal ones, at least) consisted of only three people at the moment, Tony did not bother to hide Friday and her new… development. He should probably recruit. Or find ol’ Nick and ask him to do the recruiting for him. 

* * *

Vision was more curious than wary. He and Friday got along just like the siblings his predecessor and her computer program were. Unlike him, Friday needed to eat and drink and piss, so he was no help in that department other than providing the same clinical instructions she found herself on the net.

That first night, shortly after the call with Strange actually, Vision floated into the workshop. Tony had stressed that the others were free to go in and out as they pleased without having to worry if they were bothering him. He took one look at Friday and immediately knew who and what she was. The Mind Stone in his forehead glowed for a moment, her eyes got covered in that dark film, and then he smiled and touched the ground right before the sofa.

“It is a pleasure to meet you. It seems our creator has a thing for purple.”

Friday only giggled, the sound was too similar to Pepper’s drunken mirth. After Tony described the situation, Vision nodded and took a seat next to Friday. The woman automatically turned her body to lean further into Tony but to face Vision, though her limbs did not seem to cooperate exactly as she needed them to and it took her much longer than one would expect. 

“How are you fairing?”

“Not bad. Got to kiss the big man,” she smirked and that smile was all Tony. Tony only scoffed and rolled his eyes when Vision glanced at him. 

“It seems you have had the privilege I have not been given yet.”

“Hey now,” Tony admonished but Vision was smiling at the two of them. 

Vision continued to ask small questions, little things that Tony had no time to think of at the moment. He was focusing on the book laying across one of his desks and tuned the two out completely. That was until Friday jumped up and waved her hands, smacking Tony right in the kisser in the process. Vision laughed and the look of contrition on her face reminded him too much of Steve’s guilty look when Tony caught him drinking straight out of the carton that one time. 

“Okay, I’ll leave you two kids to it.” He shifted slightly, Friday helping as much as her uncoordinated limbs allowed, until she was settled into the corner of the sofa with the blanket covering up her entire body. “I’ll just–” he turned towards the desks and realized… work wasn’t really an option. But he needed something to get away, to get some–

“Not a problem, Sir.” Tony still flinched every time Vision slipped up and called him Sir by mistake. “We’ll be here. I think we have some things we will want to talk about.”

“Yea, boss. No worries on this end.” She tried to wave her hand, a move Tony himself did often enough, but almost smacked herself in the face. It was only after she dropped it that Tony realized he was smiling. 

“Are you sure? I can–”

“Boss,” Friday sounded a lot more serious now as she interrupted him. “I may be new to this but I am not new to you. I know you and now… I just figured some things out I didn’t know before. Get some rest, take a walk, let yourself process this.”

Tony shook his head with an even wider smile. He hasn’t smiled this much since the Accords were first brought to him. “You haven’t even been alive for an hour and you’re already bossing me around.”

“That’s my job, Boss.” Friday smiled and Tony took the dismissal. 

* * *

When Tony and Rhodey met up for breakfast Tony hadn’t completely forgotten about Friday but… he thought maybe he hallucinated her or something. She still reported the time and weather when he woke up, helped him out with his emails and schedule for the day while he got ready, and started the coffee maker for him without him having to ask. 

So when the two friends went to the workshop for Tony to look over his braces and help him out with his PT, they came across the newest additional to the compound. Vision was sitting on the sofa and reading a book while Friday was lying on her side, head pillowed on his lap and blanket covering just enough to be decent but revelling enough to show she was nude under it. Tony ought to find her some clothes soon. And figure out how she was still running everything in the compound even though she had a human body. And how she could do it while sleeping. And what her… maybe he should have stayed last night while Vision was around, he probably asked her all of those questions and more. 

But then her eyes opened when they came closer and her limbs twitched in that uncoordinated way that made him think of a newly born colt. And when they found him she smiled so wide that he felt something warm up in his chest. 

Rhodey was a different experience from Vision. It took him a few moments to realize that Tony was not, in fact, joking about who the naked bombshell on his sofa was. Once he did though, his eyes narrowed and he kept glancing at her from the corner of his eyes while Tony set up the braces around his legs and helped him out of his wheelchair.

When he stood on his own power, balancing precariously, Tony glanced at Friday and had a thought. Rhodey looked in her direction too, still seeming to disapprove but not bothering to ask any questions. It was the third time in the fifteen minutes since he met her though that he muttered “fucking magic, man” under his breath. 

Tony had an older model of Rhodey’s braces around and as someone who had never used a body before, Friday  _needed_  them. Tony thought so at least. So after some convincing, which meant Friday smiling so bright it was almost blinding (whose smile was that? Tony didn’t recognize it, it was never aimed at him), Vision went to Wanda’s old room to collect some clothes. He helped Friday dress, clinical in his touch but gentle in his manners, then balanced her in Tony’s rolling chair while the inventor fit the braces around her legs. 

Now at least Rhodey wasn’t all the focus when he fell. He loved Tony dearly, liked Vision well-enough, but he was tired of being babied. He did, however, end up falling over from laughing too much when Friday brained herself on the support bars after failing to try and hold her weight with her arms.  _Were braces for her arms too much?_

She sent him a shy smile, a blush painting her pale cheeks even as blood poured a steady stream from her nose, and laughed herself before just dropping down to sit. Vision disappeared to collect the MedKit. “Is this what pain is?” She asked curiously even as tears were running freely from her eyes and Rhodey immediately stopped laughing.

Tony was frozen on the spot, staring at her and internally panicking. He was still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that yet another of his A.I.s was alive in human form. But she was a natural at it. The looks she sent them were a combination of all the Avengers, recorded from her data-feeds and coming up in place of the emotions she was feeling at the time while Vision still seemed eerily blank sometimes. But when her face was twisted in pain it reminded Tony too much of looking in the mirror and he vowed to himself, there and then, no matter how long she was going to be around like this, he will take care of her. 

“Yea, it sucks. But there’s saying,” Rhodey picked up the conversation even as he part crab-walked, part crawled, part dragged himself over to her own collapsed form. Tony was pleased to see him warming up to her and that something in his chest warmed even further at seeing one of his favourite people being so open with what others (read: Rogers) would call a monster. “Pain is weakness leaving the body.” Vision returned and crouched by her side and Tony tried his hardest to ignore her tears while he cleaned up her nose, snapped it back into place (because ouch!), and put a bandaid over it.

“Well,” she rubbed at her nose and immediately winced. “Pain can go suck it and leave faster.” Rhodey laughed in response. 


	3. Natasha

“Tony.” The tone made Tony jump from his seat where he had just settled into his office at Stark Tower… yes it still had an A on it, yes it was still for the Avengers, but at the end of the day Stark Industries work out of it and so did Tony, because he still worked for SI, while the Avengers had their own compound.

But that one of voice, the slight threat mingled with a barely twisted corner of the lip, he could imagine her red lips twisting before he even saw her face and her arms crossed over that ridiculous catsuit that he would never complain about.

“What are you doing here?“ He immediately snapped and reached under his desk, pressing a button there.

Natasha tensed but after a moment of nothing happening, She stepped closer from where she had been standing behind his office door. She wasn’t wearing the catsuit, instead the pencil skirt and dress shirt combo she had favoured as Natalie Rushmore. It brought back some memories that, at the time, had not been pleasant but now were amusing. She reached up and tapped her ear, a communicator no—doubt, and raised an eyebrow.

“Who saw you coming in?”

“Nobody.”

Tony just sighed and wanted to drop his head to beat it against the desk.

“You blocked communications? “

“You could be arrested just for being on American soil.” He finally hissed out.

Natasha smiled again at him, that little private twist that said she was both amused by him and embarrassed of his care for her. Now he finally knew what it meant after having it explained to him by Friday when she used it just last week.

“I signed.” She reminded him and pulled up one of the chairs on the opposite side of his desk to sit down.

“Not With the Freedom-bunch?“ He almost snapped out and the smile disappeared from her lips. He almost apologized, wanting it back, but then held his resolve. She was the one who left.

“No. Though I did see King T’Challa and he forgave me for my actions in Germany. I also saw the others…” she trailed off, as if waiting for him to ask and show that he cared. Tony remained silent. Natasha only sighed and her eyes dropped.

“What are you doing here?“

“Can’t a friend just drop by and say ‘hi’?”

“Oh, a friend? Is that What we are now?“ He knew it was harsh but it had hurt, more than Rogers even, when she had betrayed him and disappeared. But if she wasn’t with the American Dream Team for the past four months, where had she been? Was she on her own? Was she back to putting more red in her ledger? Was she being safe? While her face closed off as she thought of her  
answer, Tony decided to speak again. "How have you been?”

She looked up, surprised for a moment before schooling her features again. “I’m good.“ She smiled that small private smile again. Tony relaxed a little. He did not hold it against her. It was Rogers and his holier-than-thou attitude that still pissed him off. Natasha was… she was everything he needed. She was harsh and brutal, but she was also soft and sweet. She had been on par with Rhodey and Happy in importance to him before the whole debacle. “And you?”

“I’m… I’m good.“ He smiled and it felt like he wasn’t lying.

"So… I hear there’s something new happening at the compound.” or course, that’s why she was here.

Three weeks ago Asshole-supreme had dropped by to collect his book, glance at Friday and her brand new body, and disappear with promise to return as soon as he had an answer. Tony had requested Friday, because he didn’t write the codes or demand commands anymore, to call him on intervals of two hours during that first week. It was now every 20 minutes and she even took the liberty of leaving him the strangest little voicemails about anything and everything from “did you know that in in 1936, the Russians made a computer that ran on water?“ to ridiculous jokes like “what do you call a programmer from Finland? Nerdic!” followed by her adorable laugh that still didn’t remind Tony of anyone she may have stored in her data-banks.

Other than that and the fact that Tony and Dr. Asshole actually met shortly after the whole Avengers-divorce, nothing interesting had happened. 

“Are you talking about Rhodey? He’s doing much better now. We got him running the other day with the braces.“ Tony supplied.

Natasha’s features twisted into guilt and this time she did not try to smooth it out.

"That was uncalled for.” Tony spoke in apology. Natasha remained quiet, looking down. “Nat, why are you here? Do you need help with something?”

She smiled wistfully now and tipped her head back, revealing her throat in a vulnerable way that She never would have when they first met. Either she trusted him enough now to be completely open, or she was playing him like one of her marks. For some reason, Tony thought it was the former even though the latter made more sense. But they had known each other for so long now, she had been there for a lot, including the messy break-up with Pepper, and she had not thought of him as a mark in… a long time.

“I love the fact that even though you hate me, you still care.”

“I don’t hate you.“ She looked at him and raised an eyebrow. “I don’t hate you.” Tony reiterated, narrowing his eyes at her. “I was hurt, yes, but my hate is reserved for someone else.“

"Barnes.” She guessed with a sigh.

“Rogers.” Tony spat the name out and clearly read the surprise on her features. He sighed and rolled his eyes, leaning back in his seat comfortably. “I can’t very well hate Jason Bourne. That’s like hating my guns for killing people instead of the people who used said guns.“

Natasha stared at him long and hard and they both knew he meant to say instead of the people who designed said guns. He hated himself and still blamed himself for that. So the question was if that lingering hate for Barnes was for Hydra and what they had made him do, or for Barnes himself and what he used his arm for. Natasha shook her head to dismiss the subject and return back to the topic at hand.

“So who is she?”

Tony bit his cheek, turning his eyes away, and that made her wary. In just that moment his phone rang and it was like Tony planned it all. He looked down at it, at Natasha’s raised brow and the amused tilt of her lips, then reached for the receiver. He hesitated and pressed the speaker button instead, trusting Natasha enough to keep quiet and showing her that he trusted her even more…

_“Hey, boss.“_ Friday’s voice came from the intercom and Tony’s eyebrows raised. He glanced at Natasha but she seemed to dismiss the voice and started looking around his office instead.

“What’s up, Fri?”

_“I’m just calling to tell you that Dr. Strange finally answered.“_

Natasha turned to face him again and raised a questioning eyebrow. Tony ignored it and stared at the phone in dread. If he answered, maybe he had found out what happened and was going to return Friday to her original state. But Tony… liked Friday. And she liked it too. Although her first week living as a human had been painful for all involved, every time she stepped barefoot on the grass outside. or closed her eyes to the sun’s rays. or breathed in deep one of Vision‘s cooking experiments… it felt like she belonged, like this is where she needed to be.

“And…?” He questioned after a moment of hesitation, causing Natasha’s eyes to focus on him that inscrutable way that said she was reading everything about him.

_“Oh, nothing. He just answered and told me to stop leaving him voicemails. I hacked Into his phone and made it so they would play automatically every time he accessed the internet. “_

"Friday,” Tony sighed and closed his eyes. She was a little too much like a child. “Is that all you have to say?“

_“Well, yes, boss.”_

“You didn’t have to call for that.“

_“Well… It looked like a tense moment and I figured It would be a good time to interrupt.”_

Natasha glanced around the office again, making it look casual but scanning for the cameras that would allow Friday access into his office.

“Are you monitoring me?“

_"That is my job, boss.”_ She sounded like she was smiling again.

Tony sighed and nodded. “Thank you.“

_“Oh, also. You have a conference call with Miss Potts in twenty minutes. Though I feel like I should have lied and said five so that you could wrap up your little reunion quicker: ”_

“I thought you liked Natasha.” Tony looked up at the redhead and smiled almost sheepishly, wishing he had picked up the receiver instead. He trusted Natasha but not the little hellion on the other line.

_“Well, now that I can kick her ass I can openly admit that I don’t. At the moment. We’ll see. Haven’t decided yet.“_ She was starting to sound too human. And the kicking her ass part? Tony winced as he thought it through. It was probably possible. Friday had access to all training and battle footage of all the Avengers. It had taken her only two days to get the hang of walking and another week to find a combination of all of their mannerisms and gaits to create her own. Her expression mimicry had been perfect even before she had been able to wipe her mouth after eating so it was entirely possible her body was the same. With some practice, she could be– Tony stopped that train of thought before it tried to leave the station.  _"Dinner will be ready at eight, boss. Don’t be late.”_ With that final cheer a beep sounded to note the end of the conversation.

“Tony,” that admonishing tone sounded almost amused.

“I don’t control Friday!” Tony raised both arms up in defence. Then he thought about it. If Natasha knew what happened to Friday and took his words into consideration, would she think the young woman was like Ultron? Natasha was wary of new things, always on the defence, but… this was Natasha. 

“I should leave,” she rose from her seat, “let you prep for your meeting with Pepper.” 

Tony dropped both hands, reached under his desk to deactivate the security he had turned on when he realized Natasha was in the room. The doors audibly clicked in unlocking. 

Natasha turned away from the doors to stare at him. Yes. He had locked himself in the office with her. There was no suit and while one would have arrived during the time they had talked, it was never called. She smiled almost fondly at him, as if realizing what this meant. 

Tony got up from his seat and walked towards her and to the door. Then he decided  _fuck it_ and threw all caution to the wind. This was Natasha. If Friday decided to stay as she was, there was no-one better than Natasha let him know how others would take it. Obviously Rhodey and Vision knew, Pepper actually met her and the two got along great in their conspiracy to keep Tony in line, and Happy had only made one Ultron joke before he caught Friday crying (she had fallen down the stairs and twisted her ankle) and then he was the one who carried her to Vision to get her foot wrapped and took a shine to her as if she was his little girl. 

But all of them knew Tony and though they knew Ultron… they  _knew_ Tony. Natasha would be next step.

“Are you free tonight at eight?” He smiled and leaned against the still closed door. Friday was his girl, but so was Natasha. 

Natasha raised an eyebrow and it was as if she could speak with just her face. For someone who could school their expression into nothing in a heartbeat, she certainly projected a lot. Friday had picked up most of her current mannerisms from the Black Widow. “I would like you to meet someone.”

The brow fell and a small smile bloomed on her lips. “I’ll make time.” She promised and leaned forward. One delicate, deadly hand cupped his cheek and she leaned forward to press a kiss to the other one. She didn’t say thank you and Tony didn’t respond with you’re welcome but he did lean into the kiss like a cat leaned into a petting hand. She pulled back and her eyes were glassy. “See you.”


	4. Clint

Tony wasn’t exactly sure what Vision said that was so funny, but everyone at the table was in good spirit, so he tuned back into the conversation. And he looked at Friday. She had her head thrown back, that little giggle she had before had developed into a full blown laugh in the last few weeks. He loved that sound but could not, for the life of him, still figure out whom it belonged to. All of her actions, expressions, and movements were of people that had gone in and out of either the tower or the Avenger’s compound. Maybe it was an intern? 

“Oh my god, Clint is never going to hear the end of it!” Natasha tried to keep herself from laughing. While the others at the table lost some of their mirth at the mention of the previous Avenger, Tony froze completely. 

After a moment the others noticed him staring between the two women, two of his girls, with wide eyes and slightly open mouth.

“Tones?” Rhodey questioned.

“Oh my god!” He finally snapped out. “That asshole!” But it didn’t sound insulting. It was an epiphany. Because the only person he knew that laughed like that was Clint. 

Friday smiled at him, mirroring Natasha’s mischievous little smile, and it was as adorable as it was creepy seeing the two of them side-by-side like that. 

But that laugh, and every other she had voiced out, it was all Clint. 

Clint had his own weird sense of humour, probably from having such a fucked up childhood, to having such a shitty job, to keeping up with his little hell-spawns. But he had always been ready with a quip back when they were all together. His laughs ranged from little breathless exhales during battle, to mocking exasperation voicing each syllable, to this low and deep shuffle that was so full self-loathing even Tony felt it, and to these cute little giggles that only came out when he was high on pain-killers, drunk, or just had all of his defenses down.

But the full blown laugh Friday had just revealed: head thrown back, hands on her belly, mouth open so wide it was a surprise her lips still curved in a smile… Clint had laughed like that when one of the experimental arrows Tony had created for him exploded right between them in the workshop. It had left them both covered in a heavy, slimy residue that was supposed to create a safety net for when Clint decided to jump off a building next time.  _“Really, Tony? Glitter?”_  He had laughed through Tony’s explanation of different metals and substances that caused the shimmer on the residue. For the entire week following both men sparkled in the light. Tony owned up to it completely, to the team and the media, and while Clint grumbled and muttered every chance he got, he also did his little drunken giggle or huffed under his breath when the two were in the room at the same time and someone pointed out the shimmer. 

Tony finally got a working prototype two months ago using some of the webbing from the Spider Kid. He had even tested it using the Iron Man armor and knew it would hold Clint’s weight. The arrows were stacked uselessly in the same corner of his workshop where Falcon’s old wings were scrapped (the ones Barnes tore on the helicarrier). 

“How’s his family?” He questioned in the awkward silence around the table. All signs of the earlier comfort and mirth were gone with his earlier exclamation.

Natasha only sighed and leaned back in her seat. “Tony. Anybody who cares to look close enough will know that the anonymous donations they have been receiving for the past year, and still continuing, are coming from you.” 

Tony did not blush only because he had trained himself from very young to not react. But then panic set in… his eyes widened and—

“Okay! Not anybody. Wrong choice of words!” Natasha quickly assured. “As in, nobody knows but… I mean I do. So does Clint. I don’t know if he’s had the chance to talk to them since the whole…” she waved a hand to encompass the shit-storm that had caused him to be away from his family for the past four months “…but if he did he would still know it was you.”

Tony chuckled mirthlessly and dropped his head. Conversation slowly resumed as before but they were all done eating and only thing left was to clean the table. Rhodey offered and Friday immediately started working on stealing every plate and utensil out from under his hands. 

Natasha only gave him one meaningful glance and Tony left the room. He went to his workshop, standing before the large windows of the compound overlooking the greenery around them. The view from the tower had been much better, in his opinion.

“You know,” Natasha spoke quietly when she walked in on silent feet. She stopped beside him, holding her traditional glass of red wine after a good dinner. Tony still kept her brand in stock even after she left. She did not offer him anything and he was both pissed off and glad at the same time. “He’s thinking of signing.” 

And that threw him completely off. Tony turned completely to face her but Natasha continued to stare out the window, bringing her glass up to take a small but long sip. 

“Because of them.” It was not a question but Natasha nodded regardless. 

“Same thing with Lang.” At Tony’s raised eyebrow she turned to him with an amused smile. “Ant-Man. He already had a tough time with visitation rights for his daughter but it’s now been too long since he’s seen her.”

Tony nodded again and turned to face the view again, leaning one shoulder against the glass with both hands in his pockets. 

“Clint I can do. He’s retired anyway. I don’t know about that Lang guy.”

“You can do?” It was not often that Natasha was surprised and even less so when she let it show.

“We’ve been working on amending the Accords. What we were given… it was only a draft version. If…” he paused for a moment as anger welled up and had to close his eyes and take a deep breath. “If Rogers had just stopped to listen he would have found out that the draft was just that… we would have had input on the changes.”

“And what are the changes?”

“Enough that Clint can go home to his family.” Tony summarized. “No jail, no court. He just signs a piece of paper –not even the Accords– and he goes home to his brats.”

Natasha nodded and took another slow sip of her wine. “He’d be glad to hear that.”

Tony laughed mirthlessly. “If only he would.”

“You should call him.” Natasha suddenly turned towards him. “Let’s say tomorrow? At three?” and then she glanced to the side where Friday was standing near one of his computers. 

She nodded then focused on Tony. “Just dropped by to say goodnight, boss.”

“Night, Fri.” He waved her away. 

After a moment of silence Natasha leaned closer to him and placed a chaste kiss on his lips. “I’ll be heading out too.”

“Stay.” Tony blurted out and reached out on reflex, his hand resting on her hip comfortable. “Your room is still…”

She smiled and reached up to pat his cheek with a small hand. “Alright.”

“It may be better if Birdbrain heard it from you.”

“Yes, it may be.” She agreed and shifted her weight, Tony’s hand dropping automatically, but she did not move out from his space. “And maybe he’ll hear it from me, but he will need the facts from you.”

Tony nodded and with another kiss, this one on his cheek, Natasha departed for the evening.


	5. Scott

Natasha had not accepted Friday straight out. The moment she found out about the strange woman’s origins, her defenses were up. It was only Friday’s teasing and questioning, her mirror expressions and actions, which finally allowed Natasha to let go. That first dinner they had together was only the first step towards civility. But it was obvious that Tony wasn’t the only one missing his old friends. When she had pointed out Friday’s laugh as belonging to Clint, she had done so with a wistful smile on her lips. 

When, the following morning, the two women bumped in the kitchen just as Friday was getting Tony’s coffee made (she preferred to do it with her hands now that she could use them, although she did use her connections to the compound to remain as Tony’s assistant and secretary) the apologetic look on her face just screamed Steve and Natasha almost broke. 

It was not until a few hours later when redhead walked into the workshop just in time to witness Friday being clumsy that she did accept the other woman completely. Because that look on her face, right there, that was all Tony. That was Tony asking for her opinion for his birthday party. That was Tony rushing away to the prison where Ivan was locked up. That was Tony when he learned of Coulson’s death. That was Tony when he said goodbye after their first mission together. That was Tony when Natasha asked him to help with the SHIELD dump. That was Tony when Ultron came to be. That was Tony when he presented the Accords. That was Tony, Tony, Tony, Tony and most importantly… that was Tony in pain when she did not always notice it. 

That was Tony that needed somebody there and Friday… she was just Tony’s girl. The same way Pepper used to be before their complicated relationship got in the way. The same way Natasha herself used to be before her knowledge of Barnes made her betray him.  Friday was always there for Tony, even in her sleep. He was her top priority before she got a body and he was her top priority now. She was exactly what Tony needed.

“Hey, there are my girls.” Tony’s grand entrance to the workshop made Friday brighten as if the sun was shining for the first time. The same was she was exactly what Tony needed; he was exactly what she needed. Natasha finished taping the butterfly bandage over the small cut on her hand and stood up.

“Shit, you okay, Fri?” Tony rushed over to inspect the wound. It had been a while since she had an accident. But every now and then she seemed to forget that she had a physical (read: breakable) form when she was in the workshop. 

“I’m good, boss.” The smile never dimmer. “You’re just on time.”

“You did call me.” He brushed a finger near the small cut absently. 

“Yes, you have a call in ten minutes.”

“With who?” He took out his phone. “Nothing on my schedule.”

“With King T'Challa.” And Tony froze. 

Natasha watched the interactions between the two as she put the MedKit away. He was as stiff as she was relaxed. His eyes were glinted over, hard, where her purple ones were shining bright. He was all hard muscle and sharp lines where her small frame was supple and soft. They were such perfect opposites that Natasha finally understood why Tony created his A.I.s to begin with. He needed somebody to complete him. 

T'Challa was easy. They were on the same page to begin with. Yes, he had joined Tony’s team on a vendetta to get Barnes, but even if that had not been the case he signed the Accords. He worked together with Tony, and Strange, and Hill, and representatives of the 117 countries that had agreed, along with the armies of lawyers each representative and their mother had. They were working on making them fit for everyone. Even for someone like Barnes, whom T'Challa was now working with rather than trying to kill.

_“Mr. Stark.”_

“Why does nobody call me Doctor? You know I have three PhDs, right?” Tony started right off the bat. 

T'Challa only grinned and nodded.  _“Dr. Stark—”_

“Eh… no. Nope. No way. Let’s just go with Tony.” The King leveled him with a look and Tony mimed zipping his lips. 

_“I do have a country to run. To what do I owe the pleasure of this call?”_

“Actually… called to speak to Rogers. Well… more specifically Birdbrain and Tiny-Giant-Dude, but figured Rogers was the first call.”

T'Challa raised an eyebrow and feigned ignorance. 

“Pssh…” Tony waved away anything the King could say. How many men get to wave away a King? He felt proud of himself for that one before deciding at least an ounce of respect was due. “How’s it going with the B.A.R.F.?” after he got that out. 

The Wakanda King had not only made a donation to help further the development of the Binarily Augmented Retro Framing, but had also requested a set to be sent over with the promise of returning data for further study. It was only so obvious as who exactly was using it and for what. 

_“It seems to be working. But it is a slow and painful process.”_

Tony only nodded then glanced to the side where Friday was staring at him with eye covered in a dark film and Natasha looked to be cleaning her nails with a knife. She glanced up at him and he turned back to T'Challa. 

“Right. So. Anything I can help you with?”

T'Challa only chuckled and looked away himself for a moment.  _“No. But your guest is here to speak to you.”_ He motioned and after a moment Rogers appeared beside him on the screen.  _“I’ll leave you two to discuss.”_ The King turned away.

Tony said his pleasantries goodbye with a smile before focusing somewhere over Steve’s shoulder. Friday automatically adjusted the camera so Steve would think Tony was staring right at him. 

_“Tony. I'm—”_

“Rogers.” Tony interrupted. Steve seemed startled for a moment before he nodded. Just as he opened his mouth to speak again, Tony decided to go over him. “I am not calling to talk to you. This is about Clint and Lang. But I will not go behind your back to talk to them, though they clearly don’t need your permission. I just don’t want you accusing me of trying to steal away your buddies.”

Steve looked a mixture of disappointed and angry. For a moment, Tony was glad that Friday had not had a reason to face him with either of those expressions. 

 _“What is it about?”_  He questioned instead, shoulders falling back in his No-Longer-Captain-America pose. _“The Accords?”_

“Their families.” Tony clarified. “We have made some amendments that will allow them both to return to their families without risk of prosecution.”

 _“Without risk of prosecution.”_  He repeated slowly.

Tony rolled his eyes, noticed Natasha shaking his head at him, and focused back on the screen. “There will need to be an official statement, not to me or the courts, or even to Secretary Ross: just a piece of paper to be signed that will be included in one of the dozens of appendices part of the Accords. And that is only if they still don’t wish to sign the Accords themselves.”

Steve looked away for a moment and nodded.  _“This is not my decision to make.”_

“No it is not.”

 _“And…”_  he hesitated before looking up. Friday had that same look on her face just last night when Natasha walked through the door. It was a mixture of trepidation and hope.  _“And the rest of us?”_

“Wanda is not even an American citizen, I am only dealing with those that would wish to step on US soil at the moment. If she does, I can figure something out. Otherwise she’ll have to wait her turn with her own government and lawyers. Sam is a little trickier due to his gear belonging officially to Stark Industries—” Steve frowned hard at that “—but it all depends on the status of said gear and any future thoughts he has for it.” Tony barreled on. “As for you and Barnes…” Tony sighed and looked towards his girls again. Although Friday’s eyes were covered with that dark film she was smiling at him. Natasha was as well. 

“Look, the Accords aren’t going away.” He raised a hand when Steve opened his mouth to speak. “They aren’t. I have no control over that. What I do have some control over is what they say, although less control than someone like T'Challa has. I was able to figure out some things with the amendments made so far and figured that Clint would probably want to see his family again. Same thing with Lang. If they still tell me to shove it, I won’t bring it up again.”

_“But for the rest of us…”_

“There has to be some compromise. And it’s really hard for me to compromise with you when I have no idea how you could compromise with me.” 

Steve was silent and frozen for so long that Tony thought the feed had bugged up. After a while he exhales so large and loud that his entire frame seemed to sag.  _“We’ll deal with that. I’ll tell those two to come so you can let them know.”_ He finally looked at the screen again.  _“Thank you, Tony.”_

“I’m not doing it for you, Rogers.” And now that the pleasantries, the need to keep Steve on the line long enough to realize that this was  _not_  in fact his decision to make (and if he had hung up Tony was going to get Natasha to go there herself and deliver the news), were over… there was no need to be civil with him. He stiffened at the use of his name, then nodded.

 _“Just a moment.”_  He rose and disappeared from the seat.

Natasha came over a few moments later and put both hands on his shoulders. Tony tipped his head back to look up at her and smiled. She only shrugged in a  _what can you do?_  manner before they both heard something on the screen.

When Clint saw Tony his expression did not change from the dark one it was already in, but when he focused on Natasha he smiled slightly.

_“Hey, Nat.”_

“Hey, Clint.” She replied easily and leaned down, crossing her arms across the back of Tony’s shoulders and resting her chin on one. Her lips were so close to his ear that it tickled when she breathed. 

And that conversation ended much better than the one with Steve. Although Clint was still unhappy with Tony, he seemed more exhausted now and in need to see his family. He had retired, put his bow away before this whole deal, so all he had to do was go back into retirement and there would be no signing of any Accords, and no being hunted down. They would still have to deal with the consequences of his actions both on American and German soil (American was easy, he attacked Tony’s property and Tony wasn’t going to sue) but that would be easy to deal with.

Lang on the other hand didn’t seem to give a shit one way or the other about the Accords, as long as he could hold his little girl again.

“You understand that you will have to serve at least a month.” Tony clarified and Lang dropped his head. “And that is for violating your parole and leaving the country. But, I’ve got some of the best lawyers money can buy and that is why you are looking at month instead of years.”

 _“What’s a month more?”_  He laughed humorlessly but his eyes were bright. Tony felt sorry for the man, the one that was dragged into this mess and then off on another continent and kept away from his daughter for too long for an ideal he didn’t even believe in. 

“I can probably arrange for her to meet you—”

_“No. I will never let her see me in jail.”_

Tony scoffed. “I meant when you land. Before the cuffs come on.” And the brightness in those eyes seemed to spill over in happy tears. “And by the way,” Tony decided a parting remark was needed, “that’s what you get for trusting a Stark.” Lang outright laughed.


	6. Bruce

“Hey, boss.” Something was off. Friday was not looking directly at him and she was biting the corner of her lip. Her shoulders here hunched in slightly and her hands were clasped behind her back. The way the short part of her hair fell into her eyes reminded him keenly of someone… along with the hunched shoulders and little toe shuffle she was doing into the ground.

“What is it, Fri?”

“You got a…. a call.” She still didn’t look at him.

Tony was amused but at the same time worried. Who would be calling that would cause that expression on her face?

“Alright, patch it through here.”

“Video?” She seemed almost excited before seeming to remember herself and drop her eyes to the ground again.

Tony chuckled. Whoever it was, this was obviously important to her. “Sure, video call.” He turned back to his work and tried to clear his desk a little. The arrows he had made for Clint were suspiciously absent though the archer himself hadn’t come to the compound. Tony had greeted both Clint and Scott at a private airport, little Cassie waiting there and running to her dad as soon as she saw him. The reunion was almost tearful until Clint groaned as loud as possible. And instead of the usual bro-hug he forced on Tony he… shuffled his feet a little, scratched the back of his head while looking away, then reached out hand out forward for a shake. Tony accepted it as enough and even smiled.

But that shuffle was not the same as Friday’s copy earlier. No… that shuffle and hunched shoulders belonged to the face that greeted him on the video screen.

“Brucie-bear?!”

Bruce only chuckled and bit the corner of his lip before looking away. _“Hey, Tony.”_

“Where have you been?” Tony was almost vibrating in his seat.

 _“Ah… actually… in Asgard for while. Well… for the duration of the whole Accords.”_ His eyes narrowed and Tony could swear he saw a green spark somewhere in there.

“Ha, ha, ha” this time it was Tony coping Clint’s mocking laugh, but he was too nervous to pull it off completely. “Better that you were there. Things here got a little…”

_“Yea… I was informed.”_

Tony glanced around him to find Friday was still in the corner and looking down even as her eyes were covered in a dark film. “I wonder by whom.”

 _“Your… uh… secretary?”_ He seemed to hesitate and Tony looked back at the video screen. _“Do I… do I need to worry?”_

“No!” Tony almost jumped, startling Friday, before he composed himself. “No, no. It’s not like that. There is no… it’s not the same.”

 _“I figured when I talked to her. She even deemed it important enough to show me her matrix.”_ Bruce rolled his eyes. _“All of her parameters are the exact same as before. I spent a good few days pouring over the code.”_

“A few days?”

_“Well… I am no programmer. But I understand enough and… remember enough of what happened with Ultron. I can tell the difference.”_

Tony sighed and slumped his shoulders. “We don’t know how long it’s for.”

 _“Magic, eh?”_ Bruce almost laughed.

“But hey, they do magic Asgard. How was that by the way?”

 _“Oh, it is magnificent. You’d love it.”_ Tony scoffed and Bruce raised an arm to interrupt him. Tony was glad to see that Friday was not the only one copying others’ mannerisms. _“What we call magic, they call science.”_

“Please…” this time Tony scoffed louder and rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Magic is to science like bright is to avocado.” Bruce seemed confused for a moment. “DUM-E has decided that I need to go on an avocado cleanse. I’m trying really hard not to question it.”

The other man chuckled at this and looked down again. _“Don’t think I didn’t notice how you glossed over the Accords subject.”_

“Bruce…” Tony sighed. “I—”

_“I am not saying it was your fault. Obviously, you didn’t come up with them. Afterall, there is a clause in there about your Iron Man suit that I am pretty sure you would never agree to…”_

“…we got that one amended…” Bruce was so used to Tony talking over him that he continued as if the other never spoke up.

_“…but I do have to agree with Steve that registering is not good. It’s only the first step on a very dark path.”_

Tony wanted to protest. And the fact that it was Secretary Ross that brought it up to the Avengers probably never escaped the scientist.

_“On the other hand… I think Rogers is an idiot and clearly didn’t read them. I have a copy dated marked draft thirty-four. What number are you on now?”_

“Fifty-one. And one of the reasons for that is that the Russians tried to add in a few clauses about the Winter Soldier and the Black Widow, stating that both of them belonged to them.”

_“And you cleared that up.”_

“I wish. It was actually Chancellor Merkel that brought it up. And the whole registration, in fact. She was very adamant as to who exactly would be able to access this list of names.” Bruce only nodded along.

“Look… let’s not talk about this. How are you? Where are you? Is there anything you need?”

Bruce chuckled and shook his head. _“I’m good, Tony. No worries. Ask your girl and you’ll know where I am, but I would prefer to stay here for a little longer, if you don’t mind.”_

“You know my house is always open to you.”

_“I know. And thank you for that.”_

“And… you know Natasha is here?” Tony spoke cautiously.

_“I… yea… we spoke.”_

“Brucie-bear! Why am I the last to hear from you?” Bruce only chuckled at Tony’s dramatics, too used to them when the two worked together. “So…?” Tony ventured curiously. Surprisingly, no blush rose to his cheeks as Bruce smiled.

_“So, we decided to meet up for coffee when I am back on US soil.”_

“A-ha! So you’re not in the States!” Tony jumped to point at the camera.

_“No, no, I’m not. But I do plan on coming back sometime… soon.”_

Tony sat back in his seat, projecting the warmth and comfort that he felt Bruce always craved. He knew for a fact, even without any evidence to support it, that Friday had used his own body language when she must have contacted Bruce.

 _“We have a lot of things to discuss.”_ Bruce focused on the camera then, eyes narrowing and expression hardening _. “And I don’t mean with just her.”_

“Ah… yes. Well… if I don’t see you in, let’s say two months, I’ll track you down to one of the seventy-nine countries you’re hiding in.” Bruce only chuckled and shook his head.

 _“Another five countries agreed to the Accords just this week. That drops my options down to seventy-four.”_ Tony also nodded with a smile. _“But Tony… I’ve read some of the amends. Especially those focused on… the Hulk.”_

Tony winced. He had tried to fight that one. Had provided all of the video evidence possible (and suffered getting fined by Interpol again for that) to prove that the Hulk was not as much of a danger as they thought. Unfortunately, at this rate it was either blame the Hulk or blame Wanda. As much as Tony didn’t get along with Wanda, she was just a girl learning to control her powers.

“You are aware that if you spoke with a few people, we could work on amending that. I know your origin story, and I have video and mission reports for everything that’s happened since you joined up… but at the end of the day nobody knows the Other Guy as well as you do and there is only so much say I have.”

_“I understand. And thank you for taking me into consideration.”_

“Of course Bruce. I want you safe.” Bruce chuckled and nodded before turning away from the camera as if someone had called him.

_“I gotta go.”_

“Two months, Brucie-bear! I warned you!” Bruce only laughed as he signed off.

Tony still had a smile on his lips when he turned towards Friday. “Come here, Fri.” he opened his arms to her and the hunched and nervous posture disappeared as she rushed to him. She stood in the cradle of his legs and hugged him tight, his own arms wrapping around her slight frame tight. “That’s my girl.” He whispered and tightened his hold on her only slightly. She breathed comfortably into his ear.


	7. Strange

"Rogers."

 _"Tony."_ Steve replies stubbornly in greeting. Tony barely held in the scoff.

"You have news."

 _"I do."_ Tony glanced away from the screen when he noticed a shimmer in his peripheral vision. _"But before that, how are the others?"_

Tony turned back to the screen. Friday went up to greet asshole-supreme as he materialized in the room. She spoke softly to him, urging him away for a cup of tea even as she kept the connection with Rogers running smoothly and the fabricating for Rhodey's new suit in the background. She was amazing.

"Well, Clint's with the family. So is Lang. Haven't seen them in a few weeks now." They had both returned to the US over two months ago. Lang had served a very lenient sentence of one month followed by a continuation and extension of his previous probationary period.

And Friday had become such a regular occurrence in both the compound and the tower (Pepper enjoyed going for lunches with her and Natasha whenever she was in New York) these past three months that even Steve now knew of her existence. As far as Tony was aware though, the super-soldier didn't know about her origins and didn't need to.

"On your end?"

 _"Ah... Sam says he's enjoying the holiday but it's not like we actually rest much."_ As soon as he said that he turned his eyes away.

Tony scoffed. He knew about Steve and his not-so-secret Avengers taking on crime in that part of the world. They were really not helping their case and Tony was getting tired of trying to find compromises. But he was still working on it. T'Challa was never visibly seen with the three veterans (because Barnes had a bigger vendetta with Hydra than even Tony with his own weapons).

 _"And Bucky is doing good. He's much better now, trigger words are almost gone."_ Tony focused on the conversation at that. It was obvious that the BARF was working. If it was just that, but according to the last call Tony had with T'Challa, there was no more progress they could make at this stage. But at least Rogers was openly talking about it.

"Can I talk to him?" And now he stiffened up again.

_"I don't think—"_

"Not really your decision. If you don't even ask him, I'll ask T'Challa to relay the message."

Steve hesitated then nodded briefly. _"Next time."_ Tony almost scoffed.

"So, what's the big news? I do have an appointment I need to run to."

 _"Oh, no. It's just... Wanda. I wanted to let you know that she went back to Sokovia."_ Tony winced. It must have been hard on Steve to admit losing yet another member of his team. But it was obviously what the girl wanted. _"I don't know for how long, she said she'll keep in touch. But she wanted to go back and lay her brother to rest. Proper rest. She never..."_ he paused there again.

"Yea... she never did have the chance to grieve." Tony nodded along. "Is there anything you need from me?"

 _"Ah, no. That's why I'm mentioning it. She is protected there under article fifty-two, section C."_ He was looking down at something off screen. Tony thought it might be the newest iteration of the Accords. There hadn't been a change in over two weeks when a young girl had picked up Clint's bow and codename.

"Alright. She has my number. Even if she doesn't she has yours. You need anything, call." Tony dismissed and turned back to the stairs where Friday was wavering, her body and face once more contorted to the same shy reaction she copied from Bruce.

_"Alright, Tony. Take care."_

"Bye." Friday ended the connection then stepped closer. She was so alike in her mannerisms to Bruce now that whenever Tony saw the two of them together, he just wanted to wrap them both up in fuzzy blankets and drop them in front of the TV with cups of hot chocolate. Bruce had not appreciated that the first time Tony tried.

"What is it, Fri?"

"Umm... Dr. Strange has some news."

"Good news?" His fingers started tapping against his chest in a habit from reactor-days. She winced and that was answer enough. "Alright, be there in a few." He turned back to the computer and decided that abandoning the code he was working on now was for the better. Bruce had returned with so much information on the magic-science crap that even Tony was caught off guard. The two had been at it for three straight days since the other man returned.

He sighed, rubbed his palms against his thighs, wished for a glass of whiskey, and rose. He walked through the open concept living room where Natasha and Pepper were sitting on the sofa; both had glasses of wine to compliment the delicious dinner Vision had cooked. It was a pleasure to see so many people around him once more.

Pepper had a flight tomorrow morning back to California and Natasha was leaving in two days to help the US Navy with their infiltration on an old Hydra base (which Tony knew nothing about). Vision had mostly stayed close, his existence still questioned too closely for him to leave the compound without some world-threat over their heads, but he never complained and even helped Rhodey out in training with the new suit. Rhodey himself was still not back as part of the military, but he was well on his way to returning. Doctors said at least one more month of PT even though Tony knew he didn't need it.

He had been having such a nice few weeks, especially the last few days with Bruce's visit (who was _not staying, Tony, you don't need to demolish an entire section to build me a room!_ ). And, surprisingly, it was all thanks to Friday. Whether it was from the small gestures she did to make his day brighter, or her active involvement in getting the others back into his presence, or just her own presence there as an almost buffer between Tony's constantly running brain and the others. She was a gift.

So when Tony laid eyes on Dr. Asshole, he was more than a little miffed. When he saw the book resting on the table in front of him, beside his cup of coffee, he was more than miffed.

"Mr. Stark."

"Stephen." Tony snapped back and moved to the coffee maker. Friday intercepted him with an already filled mug that she practically shoved in his hands as she herded him to the table. Tony scoffed, tried the drink (it was perfect, like always) and leaned against the table opposite of the asshole.

"I'm sorry it took so long, but I finally have a solution to your problem."

"Not really a problem."

Strange looked up with a raised brow but then proceeded to ignore Tony as he opened the book. "It seems that you have some sense of the magic yourself –" Tony scoffed so hard he blew some nose up into his nose and moustache "—and have activated a spell without your meaning. I have conferred with my colleagues and can now return her to her original state."

"And what if she doesn't want to." Tony spoke up, trying not to look at Friday. She loved it here. She loved being human. He knew that. He _knew_ it. When he chanced a glance at her she seemed almost surprised. But there was something else there. He couldn’t identify the expression. She still didn't use her own, but this one was not a copy of anyone currently at the compound or anyone he had seen recently.

"Well... let's put this in scientific terms for you: every action has an equal and opposite reaction." Strange specified and closed the book with a bang, staring at Tony. "Obviously, if she wants to stay we can arrange that."

"Arrange that?"

"The spell... it's not complete. She is still, essentially, a machine. If the spell was complete her communication with the computers would be gone, her hair and body would grow, she would be truly human."

"You mean she'd get stuck with the sucky parts of being human."

Strange glanced at Friday. Tony did too only because he felt a little guilty talking about her as if she wasn't there. But he needed to know all of the options, he needed her to know all of her options before she made any decision.

"Essentially, yes. But she would also be able to expand past mere imitations of humanity and become her own human. Her thought process would not be dependent on your code any more."

"And if not?"

"Honestly, I can't tell you. She could be stealing someone else's life force, or she could be living on your time, for all you know. I have to do some further studies into her own body in order to tell you that."

"But not for her to return?"

"No. That is a simple reversal of the spell. Think of... one of your schematics. You started drawing something and it was good enough so you stopped. But it was not complete. I don't know how to complete it, but I know how to erase it."

Tony winced and finally turned his eyes away from Friday. "But you can learn how to complete it."

After a long moment of silence, in which Strange just glanced between the two, he nodded. "I could."

"Would you?"

This time the silence was longer. And then Strange nodded.

"Good." Tony dropped his mug on the table and turned to Friday. "Take as long as you need to decide. This is completely on you. You have any questions, ask away."

"Thank you, boss." She seemed almost awed at having been given the choice.

"Not too long," Strange reminded them. "I don't know the effects of you having existed for so long already, but... let's not chance anything."

Friday nodded and so did Tony. He picked up his mug, wishing again it was whiskey, then turned away. Strange disappeared in his usual annoying and sparkly portal vanishing act. Friday skipped over to him as he walked away and looped both arms around his free one. She was smiling up at him and Tony could only think about how good it was to have his girl here with him, in person.


	8. Steve

"You fucking idiot!" Friday flinched so hard at Tony's yell that she almost fell out of her precarious perch on Tony's rolling chair.

_"Tony."_

"No! Don't you 'Tony' me, Rogers!" He was pacing now. Instead of moving the camera with him, Friday just zoomed out. Tony seemed to keep to her invisible perimeter like a tiger in a cage. "You can't do this."

_"I can and I will. It's my decision."_

"What makes you think it's going to work?"

 _"Tony,"_ and the soft way that Steve spoke his name, the drop in his shoulders and the almost pleading expression on his face, all of that made Tony pause in his pacing and turn the monitor completely. _"They need somebody to blame."_

"And it has to be you!?"

 _"Who else?"_ He still seemed tired... defeated. Captain America, even without the shield that Tony had shoved in the corner of his workshop, should never look so defeated. So tired.

 _"The media, the governments... they need someone to blame for this. I started it—"_ his eyes narrowed in a hard glare and Tony shut his mouth from what he was about to say. _"I started this. I heard from T'Challa that... Lang is back in prison."_

"Lang is a fucking moron." Tony snapped out and looked away. "Part of his agreement on returning to the US was to give up the suit. Since it originally belonged to Pym, it went to him." Tony started speaking so fast now. "Since Hank is such a fucking idiot and denied my help and... look. Lang has nothing to do with you. Even if you come back now and walk yourself the courthouse steps, that will do nothing to help him."

 _"And Hawkeye?"_ Steve raised an eyebrow and leaned back in his seat, crossing those massive arms over his chest.

"She's doing fine." Tony spoke of the girl that had recently joined their team.

_"I meant Clint. I found out he's been stationed at the Fort Drum army base. That doesn’t sound retired and knowing him... that doesn't sound willing."_

Tony rolled his eyes and leaned forward on the table. "You should talk to whoever is passing you this information. Clint is there willingly to train Bishop. Any active meta-humans or superheroes, or whatever you want to call them, need to be trained to a specific standard. Since she's a US citizen, the moment she turned legal she had to start training under military personnel. Due to her skill set, the only one capable of training her is Clint."

_"So Clint's working for the military now."_

"No... Clint is volunteering as part of the Maria Stark Foundation." Tony dropped his head.

Pepper had come up with the idea and it had been genius, and also accepted as part of the Accords. The Maria Foundation now had an extra branch specifically focused on providing support to all enhanced individuals. While SHIELD was taking care of the Inhumans, the foundation was in charge of everybody else. Starting from providing proper training, testing, and other support such as lawyers for their rights or even shelter and food for those less fortunate, or those that did not feel like donning a cape. Since it was founded three months ago they have had an influx of over one hundred individuals, more than half of them kids, and out of all of them only a select seven had taken an interest in furthering their goals. Two, unfortunately, had to be taken to court over past actions, but the lawyers at the foundation had helped get them the minimum sentence.

 _"Tony,"_ Steve spoke again, seeming tired and as if he had repeated his name a few times. Tony stopped thinking of the foundation, looking away from the tablet Clint had dropped off just two days ago about Bishop's progress and suggestions for new trick arrows. _"Wanda's gone."_

"What do you mean she's gone?" Tony almost snapped.

Steve sighed heavily. _"I... I didn’t hear anything about it but apparently... she was imprisoned shortly after arriving in Sokovia. Her rights, according to the Accords, were violated. I just found out today when I got news of an escape from a prison there."_

Tony glanced at another monitor where Friday had been working on gathering articles worldwide for information such as this. At this look she did a search, found a few articles, and opened the most detailed one for him to read. Tony skimmed the words even as he listened to Rogers say the exact same facts. There were no photos of her, no mention of her name, but they both knew what she was capable of.

Unfortunately, even though the Maria Stark Foundation donated to other countries and tried to help start up similar programs, it only had control over US citizens.

"Where is she?"

_"I... I don't know. She hasn't contacted me."_

"Then... fuck Steve." Tony dropped his head and remembered what prompted this entire conversation. "You won't be helping her any in coming back."

_"I can't help her any being here. But I can definitely help others... like Sam and Bucky."_

Tony glanced up again and that hopeful look was full on blasting at him.

"You will be arrested." Steve nodded. "Detained and imprisoned." He continued to nod. "Or worse... you'd be made into their lapdog."

 _"Wasn't that the option from the start?"_ Steve seemed so resigned.

"Yes... and you didn't agree then, why now?"

_"Because before... it was all of us. Now it would be just me."_

"Steve... I can't promise to get Wilson and Barnes off without any charges."

 _"You said it yourself last time,"_ Steve reminded him with a smile. The last conversation they had was about Sam's status in returning to the US. Barnes had been there too, keeping quiet in the corner but still visible to Tony. Tony had said that Sam had to give up the wings, the same way Clint his bow and Scott his suit _. "If we say he blindly followed me without being aware of my actions or intentions, there shouldn't be a problem."_

Tony sighed heavily. "Is that why he's not in the room with you?"

Steve looked determined as he squared his shoulders.

"Steve. You telling me this doesn't mean anything." Tony finally decided to sit down. "I hate the idea, I think you're an idiot for it... but I get it. And it will definitely make an impact on some people, especially those higher up in the ranks and kids like Spider Man."

 _"Is that the kid from Queens?"_ Steve almost smiled.

"Yea. He's uh... he had to register but due to his age he is protected under a different set of rules than the rest of us." Steve only nodded gravely. "I don't like this."

_"I know. But... write it up. Let me look it over, and propose it."_

Tony dropped his head, feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders. "You are aware that even though I am involved in this with you, I don't have as much say as some of the others do. I think T'Challa would be your better option to pitch it to the UN."

_"He would. But I want you to do it. He can back you up if you need it, I've talked to him about it. But I need you to do it."_

Tony only nodded and finally looked up. "And Barnes?"

_"Tony. It wasn't his fault. He doesn't deserve to be sentenced for something out of his control."_

"I know that. And I agree. But everybody wants to point fingers. And this one can't be pointed at you since you were a Capsicle during the time of the events."

 _"See what you can do. I trust you."_ There was no hesitation there. Tony glanced away from the screen towards Friday. She was sitting all nice and proper, legs crossed at the ankle and shoulders back. She was Steve and his smug smile when he won an argument.

"Alright. I'll get back to you." They said a few more pleasantries and ended the connection.


	9. Sam

The UN representatives of the Accords in the US, now that they were finalized with only small amendments added here and there depending on new situations cropping up, agreed to Tony's proposal. As in... they had been surprisingly fast to agree.

Tony was wary but he had personally looked over every tiny little letter (Friday had helpfully zoomed in for him so he wouldn't embarrass himself with having to wear those stupid new glasses) and had spoken to so many lawyers and even government officials and military personnel to ensure there was no loophole they could exploit.

It had been two weeks since Tony sent the proposal over. One month since the amendments for Barnes were accepted that he would be treated as a recovered POW with his full rank as honorably discharged, and regularly scheduled and monitored meetings with doctors, psychologists, psychiatrists, therapists, and too many other people with enough PhDs that even Tony was losing track of.

Steve had not been happy at the prospect, but Barnes was to be released under Avenger's care (with extra brownie points in favor of Vision and Bruce due to them providing all of the information required to prove they can stop him, if needed) and be the sole recipient of a special Maria Stark Foundation for Meta-Humans program (they needed a better name, _maybe move out of the Foundation all-together now that it has been properly established for over six months?_ ) that everybody, even the government officials and assholes, wished nobody else had use for.

That was the same proposal Steve had asked of Tony three months ago. The same one where Friday spent a good ten to twenty hours a week talking to Steve, Barnes, Sam, T'Challa, and all of the doctors that had been involved with Barnes' recovery since it started in Wakanda. All of it was kept off record to keep the King free of any prosecutions in regards to harboring fugitives. They can deal with all of that once everything was settled.

That was the same proposal that led to talks between Steve and Secretary Ross, between Steve and various members of the UN, and between Steve and too many lawyers. That was the same proposal that allowed for Stark's private plane, flying in from an undisclosed location, to land on US soil today.

Tony was nervous though he didn't look it. Natasha's presence at this side helped immensely, but the military convoy of six cars, the four standard black sedans with government license plates, the five representatives from the UN dealing with the Accords, and the rest of the military and government officials gathered offset even her. Friday's calming words in his ear helped, even though she was seated in his own private car way back and probably chatting away with Happy.

Sam was the first to step through the plane door and down the stairs to the tarmac. General Braddock, the one who employed Natasha's and Rhodey's services from the Avengers through clauses in the Accords, was the first to greet him with a military salute. Sam returned it with a wary look and only glanced at Tony and Natasha after he scanned over the rest of the crowd. He reached out to shake Tony's hand but Tony was already distracted.

Steve didn't look as good as he had on the video and that was saying a lot. His shoulders were back, chin high, but the defeat he had seen from his posture on video was now locked behind his eyes.

"So, I hear you'll be my new partner." Sam spoke beside him.

Natasha was shaking his hand and nodding. "After we go through the proper training that is. Unfortunately, my hands will be a little full in the next few weeks so it will probably take a while before you're flying again."

Sam only scowled but nodded.

As part of their agreement to return he had signed the accords to work n the same capacity as Natasha and Rhodey. Due to their previous military experience (SHIELD counted as military as far as Natasha and Coulson were concerned), they were to work for them until otherwise needed for alien invasions or other matters concerning the Avengers. He had not been happy with that, citing he had retired from the military, but it was either that or stand back and watch the others fight without his aid. Sam was almost as stubborn as Steve.

Steve and Tony shook hands. After a moment too long though Steve used the hold on the smaller man and pulled him for a tight hug. "I'll need to speak to you about something important soon." Steve almost whispered. He turned towards the Natasha and greeted her with another tight hug before turning to General Braddock. Jury would decide, due to Steve taking the blame for all of their actions since before the introduction of the Accords, but if he were not going to do jail time, he would most likely be working with the General as well. Steve was still a ranked Captain, though only because he declined the promotion to Commander, and therefore worked for the US Military.

And then there was Barnes. During the entire process Barnes had been almost hiding behind Steve with his lopsided gait due to missing an arm. While the Wakandans had been able to build him a new one, he had agreed to remove it during the next few weeks when all three of the fugitives would be going back and forth between the military base where they will be held and courthouse. He stepped right up to Tony and reached a hand out, his face hard.

Tony glanced at the hand then at the man. They had spoken a few times over the past months and after Tony uncovered everything he could about the Winter Soldier, including a surprisingly short list of his missions, he knew not to blame him. The fact that the arm was gone was already a balm on his soul. But it was Barnes' expression at that exact moment that solidified everything. This was not the face of the killer, or that of the fugitive, or that of the man that followed Steve's orders and fought for his beliefs... this was the face of a man who was already struggling with fighting his own demons (Tony had seen it too often on Bruce's face) with a dash of realization that he would probably never win (that one he had seen in the mirror) and a set jaw that said he would never stop anyway (and now Tony was wondering if Steve maybe got his stubbornness from Barnes instead of the other way around).

Tony took his hand in a firm shake, raising his own chin in a stubborn set to say that _yes, I will help you_ and looking at him with a hard gaze that screamed _you will win_. Because at the end of the day this was just another broken man joining a team of already broken people. Maybe, if you smashed them all together hard enough, their edges will line up once more in order to protect the world.

The moment the three of them were carted off, Natasha turned to Tony and hugged him tight. There was only one car left on the tarmac and Happy quickly stepped out to open the door for Friday.

The young woman walked over to them as they walked towards her, Natasha's hand resting comfortably in the crook of Tony's arm and keeping her entire body angled towards him comfortably.

"Hey, boss." Friday smiled and it was that carefully crooked one that belonged to Bruce. She had news that she knew he wouldn't like but needed to share anyway.

"Yes, Fri?" This was his girl, he would not deny her anything. Natasha tensed beside him in reaction to his own stiffness.

"I've decided." And though it seemed completely out of nowhere and so random that it threw the earlier thirty minutes with Steve, Sam, and Barnes off... it made sense.

Tony turned towards Natasha and tapped her hand gently. She smiled and leaned in to peck him on the cheek before pulling back. She stood by him still, because Natasha was his girl too, but she let them have a moment.

Friday leaned in then, placing her lips on the exact same spot Natasha's were a moment ago but lingering just a moment too long. Her brows furrowed the same way Pepper's had right before she broke down crying.

She opened her mouth to speak then hesitated as she pulled back. Her amethyst eyes were spilling tears even before she spoke. That is one of the things Tony loved about her: she never hid her emotions. She either said them or displayed them openly. "I want to go back."

Tony nodded. Because she was his girl and he would do everything in his power to make her happy.


	10. Friday

Tony liked symmetry and patterns. It was a little OCD of him, but he needed things to make sense. He liked zeros and ones. He liked black and white. He liked math and science, with their definitive answers. He liked the truth and no-nonsense talk. He liked straight lines and perfect curves: in his schematics, in his clothes, in his thought processes, and in his people (especially in his girls). And in time.

In turn, his creations felt the same way.

And even though Friday was his girl, she was also his creation. So when she said what she wanted, explained her reasoning behind it with tears flowing down her cheeks and constant touches and hugs, she decided for them. It would be exactly one year since she gained her human body that she would return. They were planning it down to the second and had contacted Strange to make sure he would be available. The asshole agreed readily.

For the entire month between her announcement and the one-year mark (twenty-six days) she was constantly around others. She stopped sleeping in her own room (Wanda's old one converted for her) and instead was always with one of the others. Tony most often: touching and teasing, brushing her fingers against his hand, neck, shoulders, and cheek, just for the contact. There was one memorable moment of Tony falling asleep on the sofa and Friday putting his head on her lap so she could gently brush his hair and massage his head for hours.

Friday would talk with Vision when all of the others were asleep, cradled in his body as she slept even as her mind continued her usual functions and she talked with him through the system. She would always join him for his cooking experiments, finding more and more outlandish recipes (one of which led to the kitchen being off-limits for a full a day while Vision and Friday tried to put it back in order: they had missed cleaning the burn marks off one corner of the ceiling and nobody bothered to fix that.)

Friday would joke with Rhodey over his suit. She would plug into the programming and display funny jokes and messages to him and whisper them into his ear while he was away on missions. She would run her fingers over the braces he wore when out of the suit and her mind over the controls. She asked him to teach her how to dance and when Rhodey admitted he didn't know, they started learning together. Sometimes she would hack into the braces, or the suit when he was back from a mission, and would make him move with her. Rhodey always laughed so hard he fell over and he stared at the crook of her nose where she had broken it on her first day as a human after meeting him.

Friday would sit together with Natasha and contemplate what it would take to her drunk. The two found out it was possible too fast because of her body not being used to alcohol but her mind was always a whirlwind. They would play games together (most often ones that almost gave Tony a heart attack). Natasha finally decided to test her out and asked her to spar one day. Friday took an entire two weeks of going over videos and instructions before she was able to put Natasha flat on her back. Natasha laughed even though she had lost only because she had been distracted by the plié followed by a pirouette that Friday had danced right before she kicked out.

Friday would contact Clint and help him with his prank wars. He helped expand her repertoire and he taught her what to do in order to prank Natasha properly. She was able to do it and spent an entire day hiding, still running all of her systems, while viciously swearing at and threatening Clint as he laughed at her. He stopped answering after the tenth time she rang him but then she just started hacking into his com-unit while he was running drills with Bishop and started blasting him with the most obnoxious music possible. Natasha thought it was good enough for revenge.

Friday would hack into the NYC database and subsequently Scott's tracking bracelet just long enough for him to see Cassie from a distance on one of her school fieldtrips. Friday then hacked the little girl's phone and it resulted in the two having ice cream together that afternoon. She didn't know Scott personally, her only meetings with him having been at the airport in Germany and then when Tony greeted him back on US soil. But when he dropped by the compound the day after having ice cream with his daughter and Tony dismissed him with a hand wave, he smiled at Friday and thanked her before leaving. Friday made sure his visit to the compound was not seen on record so he wasn't breaking his parole.

Friday would sit by Bruce's side and take notes for him, read one of his scientific journals aloud, or bash whatever he didn't like at the time with him. Bruce had the unfortunate chance of Hulking out by surprise when Friday ran into his room one morning to complain about Dr. Saraya and her stupid theories contradicting Bruce's own. She sat beside him, only the safety glass of the Hulk containment unit the in the Avengers compound separating them, until he calmed down enough to revert, and then apologized quietly. Bruce only replied with saying that Saraya was a fucking idiot.

Friday talked with Strange a lot. The always-busy and never-available man made the chance of dropping by at least once a week for a few hours to sit with her. He wanted to read the magic around her and understand what exactly had happened, and what are the consequences. She told him about what it was like being human and how scared it made her to think about Tony having lived like that for so long. When Strange found out the consequences of her actions she almost begged him to turn her back right that moment. When he said Tony should know she froze, wiped the tears from her eyes and shook her head. She swore him to secrecy and was happy there were only two days before she was reverting. After all, what were two more days in the year she had already stolen from Tony? If he found out, he would gladly give it all up and more for her to stay then feel guilty about it because he'd figure out somehow it was his fault. She knew him.

Friday didn't like Steve much. She didn't know much of him before the whole Ultron debacle, only what Jarvis had passed on. That was the same with all the others but for them she had gone back and gone through all the footage to learn more and how they interacted with Tony. Tony was her most important person and Steve was counter-productive to his happiness. She didn't like Steve much, but Tony needed him. So she went with Tony to the military base where Steve was held for his trial and kept quiet in the corner (she knew Steve wouldn't like her either if he knew what she was). And she kept quiet when Steve glanced at her warily before making Tony make him a promise. She kept quiet but closed the door after Tony left and turned to Steve herself. She thanked him, because it was going to be impossible for Tony to be at the trial and keep himself from getting in trouble.

Friday would find herself getting closer with Sam. As Tony was busy preparing for Barnes' arrival into the compound, churning out new hardware and ideas for Stark Industries, making sure his other girl was safe by creating new armor for Natasha, science it out with Bruce, get cooking lessons from Vision, and all the other little things that kept Tony so busy and Friday always organized in his schedule so he wasn't overwhelmed... Friday started taking on some projects. So she worked on the Falcon's wings herself and ensured Sam has to come to the compound to test them instead of her going to the military base. It helped bring Sam and Natasha closer together too, as the two would have to be partners once his court appeals went through and the wings were complete.

Friday was the one who opened the door when Barnes arrived. She led him through the halls to Tony's workshop where the man was watching TV. She sent Tony a silent warning but he didn't heed it and the two walked into the room just as Steve, on screen, stepped out of the security car with security surrounding him. He made his way up the steps of the courthouse and Tony held his breath. Barnes was frozen beside her, staring at the scene. Steve stopped in the middle of the steps, looked down at his feet, then turned around and found one of the cameras. It was not the same one Tony was watching the program from. Friday quickly accessed the correct network and seamlessly switched channels. He opened his mouth as if to say something then stopped, shook his head, and turned around. He continued back up the courthouse steps and disappeared behind the doors. No media were allowed inside during the proceedings. Friday automatically muted the channel when Tony turned around, but kept the pictures going. There was a woman on screen and she activated subtitles so Barnes could read them if he wanted to.

"Boss, Barnes is here." She voiced aloud even though Tony was already standing and walking towards them.

"Worst fucking timing possible, eh?" Tony let out a mirthless chuckle.

"I'm just happy the damn punk kept his mouth shut," Barnes drawled out and startled a laugh out of Tony. Friday approved.

"That's not what I meant, but I do agree with you there."

Barnes raised an eyebrow and seemed to shuffle on the spot. The only thing he was carrying with him was a briefcase (probably for his still detached arm). He was dressed in simple jeans and a hoodie, large on his body, with the left sleeve pinned up. Tony eyed him over then motioned to the empty sleeve and metal suitcase. "Need help attaching it?"

"Yes, please. Whenever you have a moment."

A shimmer in the corner of the workshop grabbed all of their attention.

Tony sighed and his entire frame slumped.

Friday loved Tony so she moved from standing beside Barnes to standing beside Tony. She grabbed his arm and gently maneuvered them both to the same computer table where Strange was standing, where all of this had started.

"Are you ready?" Dr. Asshole asked as if he was in a fucking hurry. Tony scoffed and shook his head. Friday grabbed his hand before it could rise to hide the tears gathering in his eyes. She pulled it towards him and smiled up at him.

"It's okay, boss. I want this." She smiled wide.

Tony wasn't smiling so Friday decided... why not? She leaned forward and locked her lips with his in a chaste kiss. It was an imitation of the exact same one they had shared her first time being alive. This time it was Tony that froze in the kiss. He closed his eyes and when Friday started pulling back, he started laughing.

When he opened his eyes Strange nodded. Tony looked back at Friday and her face... that... no... that expression... he had never seen it before. It look similar to how Pepper used to look at him when she woke up in the morning to find him still in bed. It was similar to Rhodey's face, Natasha's face, Vision's face, all of them... at one point or another they had looked similar to that but never the same. Usually he guessed the person himself only asked her the meaning but this time...

"Whose is that one?"

Her features softened further as she let him go and stepped closer to the computer. She touched the interactive surface as Strange had instructed her two days ago. She nodded.

"All mine."

Strange finished the spell and Tony was left staring at nothing at all. There was no trace of her left behind.

"Friday?" He voiced aloud and her voice came from the speakers in the well.

_"Yes, boss?"_

"I want you to start a new project. Interactive hologram, we're going to go with as real as possible using the current camera set-up." Strange disappeared while Tony talked. Barnes stared with wide eyes at the impossible happening around him. "I'm going to need you to collect some footage and start a 3D rendering for me to approve."

 _"Sure, boss."_ She sounded like she was smiling. _"What do you wanna call this project?"_

Tony didn't even have to think about it, he only turned towards one of the cameras he knew was on the wall and smiled. "My Girl."


	11. James

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because I am a WinterIron fan at heart!

Steve's sentence was... complicated. They couldn't afford to lock him up, too many of the kids and meta-humans supported by the Maria Stark Foundation looked up to him. There was this young kid from Queens that had gone to the trial and he had been surrounded by humans, metas, and inhumans alike. All in support for Steve.

And then the dramatics happened when one of his character witnesses turned out to be none other than Nicholas Fucking Fury. Tony had been livid when he found out. And even more so when the final verdict came in. House arrest. Who the fuck gets off with house arrest for all of that!?

Tony was only glad the house was not the Avenger's compound. No, it was worse. It was Nick Fury and Maria Hill. It was Secretary Ross and General Braddock. It was the United States President and Germany's Chanellor. It was every one of the 135 countries that had agreed to the final draft of the Accords. It was Steve becoming exactly what he had fought against just so the rest of them wouldn't have to be. It was Steve fighting in the front lines of Syria against ISIS. It was Steve infiltrating an abandoned Hydra compound with no back up. It was Steve flying between a meeting in Tokyo as security for the Prime Minister to a meeting in Peru to break up a drug ring. It was Steve running himself haggard without one single complaint.

It was the dark circles under his eyes and the slouch in his shoulders when he was given a two-day break at the Avenger's compound courtesy of Nick Fury. It was the 40 hours of sleep he got during his break, the dinner he had by himself because everybody else was asleep and he told Friday not to wake them up, and the hour or so sitting in front of the turned off TV before Tony wandered towards the kitchen. It was Steve getting picked up with a full escort not even twenty minutes into their conversation. It was Steve making Tony make another promise for him.

It was two years before Steve slipped up, had an accident, and finally had enough of a break to rest even though it was at the hospital. It was Tony fighting tooth and nail to end his sentence and _"just throw the man in jail or kill him already"_ before the next mission could turn to be his last. It was Natasha and Sam sitting by his bed and talking furiously with General Braddock (a friend at that point) in regards to getting Steve reassigned to their unit. It was Bucky sitting quietly with crossed arms and a scowl beside him, refusing to speak but not leaving.

"Tony." It was Steve sounding so broken with tears gathering in his eyes. "Was this the alternative?"

Tony kept quiet but his look was answer enough. Steve never accused him with the exact words but they both had known it: Tony would jump into bed with _anyone_ to ensure the rest of them were free from Steve's fate. Steve could handle it, even though it was breaking him. Wanda, who nobody had heard of yet, would have broken within a month. Tony would have taken all of Steve's hate, and everybody else to boot, to ensure they were all safe.

"Friday?" Tony questioned his wrist. After a moment his watch flickered and a holographic representation of Friday appeared by his side. She looked the exact same as her human form had. "I want you to access Cap—Steve's medical record. Compare his injuries based on his full health to a regular baseline. Then I want you to take a look at the UN: CAT and tell me the results."

 _"Right away, boss."_ She remained in the room, having learned to do so unless Tony specifically dismissed her.

"UN: CAT?" Steve questioned warily. He had learned about Friday's origins and story the first time he had been to the compound and Bucky had vibrated with energy about the _so much cool sci-fi shit, Stevie, just like those books we used to read_. He kept quiet about her even now.

"United Nations Convention Against Torture." Bucky supplied with a roll of his eyes. He was much better, he was not back to the way he was before the war, that was impossible, but he was not scared of his own shadow anymore. He proudly displayed the metal arm (Stark version forty-something by now probably) with tank tops and avoiding hoodies, even the new white star on his shoulder.

Steve had an idea as to the reason for the display but he just needed some sleep. He had been meaning to tease Buck about it last time they saw each other a few months ago but... sleep had been required then too.

"Okay, you get some rest. You, come with me." Tony pointed to Steve first then Bucky. "We'll come back with results right away."

"Wait," Steve reached out. Both men stopped in their tracks. "Umm... Buck. Mind if I talk to Tony for a sec?" Bucky seemed put out only for a moment before he nodded.

"Friday, switch over to the arm and keep James company." Tony spoke. The image barely flickered but she did follow Bucky out the door. "Is this about...?"

"Yea. I think it's time."

Tony scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "How do you know?"

"I may not have been there but I've seen the footage. And I know him. And... and I think I still know you."

Tony shook his head and leaned against the window of Steve's room, facing out. Steve could only make out his profile.

"I can promise to try, same as before, but I can't promise I will succeed."

"Tony," and the drop of his voice forced Tony turned his head to face him. "Thank you."

Tony shrugged it off and left the room.

Later that evening in the compound it was Tony and Bucky in the kitchen. Everybody was in but they kept away from the two of them. Either Steve had gotten the message across somehow or Friday let them know. Tony sighed heavily as he stared down at the pan. Only Natasha had come close to them all day, staring at Bucky from the back while making wide eyes and weird gestures for Tony to get move on. She would disappear only to reappear shortly when he hadn't followed her advice.

This time when she walked into the kitchen her gait was almost heavy. Bucky still flinched around her every now and then, but he still wrapped an arm around her waist when she leaned against him as he cooked.

"For three?"

"No." She answered, not even looking at him. She was staring at Tony with that same expression, turning more threatening by the second. She picked up one of the knives and moved away from Bucky, using it to clean her fingernails. Tony knew that move and gulped audibly before facing Bucky.

"Hey, James. I want to talk to you about something."

"Sure. Now or over dinner?"

Tony glanced at Natasha but she didn't bother looking up.

"Over—" she glanced up "—now? If you don't mind."

Bucky glanced at Natasha, she smiled sweetly and leaned into him projecting innocence. He only shoved her away with a snort of disbelief. Natasha wandered to Tony then and placed a kiss on his cheek.

"I know," she started quietly to Tony, but loud enough for Bucky to hear, "that losing Friday was hard. But you gained a lot more." She patted his cheek with one hand, leaning in to kiss his other cheek, and slinked away.

Bucky glanced after her, his brows falling. Tony stepped closer to him. "Actually, can you come to the workshop after dinner?"

"Yea, sure. Is it about the arm?"

Tony shook his head and dared to lean closer to the other man, the same way Natasha had. Bucky reached on instinct to wrap an arm around his waist. Once he realized what he had done he stiffened but Tony just relaxed further.

Friday informed Natasha of the development. She smiled and gave them two hours after dinner before she made her way to the workshop. And with the open concept Tony never had any privacy but now was the first time since she moved here with him that she felt like she was intruding.

Tony was sitting on Friday's desk (it was the only computer in his workshop that ran several photos of Friday in her human form with the other inhabitants of the compound on a loop) and Bucky was standing between his legs.

She was just about to turn around when she noticed the confusion on Bucky's face when Tony pushed him away. But Tony leaned in for a quick kiss, backed him up more to hop down to the ground, and walked away while calling something. Natasha could not hear him but when Tony returned to Bucky's side her eyes widened.

Natasha watched the two of them from her spot. Where before Tony was stiff and Friday was relaxed, now Bucky was the cautious one and Tony tried to coax him out. Where before Tony's eyes were hard and Friday's shining bright, now Bucky looked to him with something akin to hope and Tony... Tony accepted it. Where before Tony was all hard muscle and sharp lines to Friday's soft and supple frame, now he seemed adorable with his cat t-shirt and soft smiled aimed at Bucky's painfully rigid shoulders after a hard day.

Where before Tony needed somebody to complete him, now he had someone to match him.

Where before the Winter Soldier was an emotionless machine with the Black Widow working at his side to finish the mission, complete the kill... now Bucky was staring with tears in his eyes at the shield Tony presented to him. Now Bucky was James, as only Tony seemed to call him, and Tony was... Tony was happy.


End file.
